Description and History of Site:-

Early C19 corn mill converted to spin cotton of about 1786. A new mill was added and further enlarged about 1789. This measured 72 feet by 31feet in 1817 and had a 12ft X 3 ft water wheel soon replace with a 16ft X 6ft wheel. A new larger mill was added in 1836 which had steam power and gas lighting.

Subsequently in multiple occupation. Three storeys, with eight bays to the stream and seven bays to the rear. The south gable end has loading doorways, now converted to windows, and a small bellcote at the apex. The roof has been altered to take rooflights.

The two mills have now been converted into flats.The corn mill was bought by William Alcock, a banker from Skipton, in 1785. He sold an interest in the mill to Margaret Williams and several others. Cotton machinery was put in the corn mill by John Brown, but the new mill, built in 1789 was taken by Robert Thornton who was bankrupt in 1795. In 1797 the mill was owned by John Williams from Kent and John Hartley from Airton. The firm leasing the mill was Hartley, Maher & Co. Williams leased the corn and cotton mills to William Ellis in 1803 who transfered it to John Greenwood and Lister Ellis from Keighley in 1807. In 1825 it was taken by the Dewhirsts from Skipton. Textile production ceased after about 1904

Further Reading and References:-

Ingle, G. Yorkshire cotton: the Yorkshire cotton industry, 1780-1835. Carnegie, 1997.
Ingle, G. Yorkshire Dales textile mills: a history of all the mills in the Yorkshire Dales from 1784 to the present day. Royd Press, 2009.
Malhamdale Local History Group http://www.kirkbymalham.info/

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Key Words :- Textile Mill

Viewing the Site :- From road

Address :- Riverside Walk, Airton, North Yorkshire, BD23 4AF
Grid Ref :- SD 90349 59264
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.029275 , Long -2.148822
Local Authority :- Craven District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1132104,
Site Condition :- Site refurbished to residential housing
Contributor :- George Ingle - 14 January 2018

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © George Ingle